Antidiabetic Efficacy: Chemical Composition and GLUT4 Translocation.

In the present study, we tested the chemical composition, cytotoxicity and antidiabetic activity of two distinct extracts of wild Artichoke-like vegetable, : methanol and hexane. GC/MS phytochemical analysis of methanol and hexane extracts revealed 39 compounds reported here for the first time in out of the 45 detected compounds. Only Stigmasterol was present in both extracts. The efficacy of extracts in enhancing glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) translocation to the plasma membrane (PM) was tested in L6 muscle cells stably expressing myc-tagged GLUT4 (L6-GLUT4myc) using cell-ELISA test. Results obtained here indicate that methanol and hexane extracts were safe up to 250 g/ml as measured with MTT and the LDH leakage assays. The methanol extract was the most efficient in GLUT4 translocation enhancement. It increased GLUT4 translocation at 63 g/ml 1.5- and 2-fold relative to the control in the absence and presence of insulin, respectively. These findings indicate that possesses antidiabetic activity in part by enhancing GLUT4 translocation to the PM in skeletal muscle.